tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post5719461307668725686..comments2024-03-28T06:13:46.092-05:00Comments on Operation Awesome: Manuscript MechanicsDena Pawlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444683810125395220noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post-46180329374115322842013-01-10T09:28:04.839-06:002013-01-10T09:28:04.839-06:00Great comparison! I love rigging things until they...Great comparison! I love rigging things until they work, but it's probably a good thing that mechanics don't rely on rubber bands and duct tape. I expect agents and publishers don't appreciate quick fixes either. Toni Kerrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09713140116596669304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post-35574808333482691382013-01-09T23:04:16.495-06:002013-01-09T23:04:16.495-06:00Exactly. Like an agent once said, don't show m...Exactly. Like an agent once said, don't show me your book without its makeup on. Same goes for your critique partners, I think, but to a different degree. Obviously it's not going to be glamorous, but it shouldn't look like it just rolled out of bed. Too far with this makeup metaphor? :)Katrina L. Lantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871272394922775923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post-55130457488829731062013-01-09T22:45:48.917-06:002013-01-09T22:45:48.917-06:00I do think it matters what stage you're in whe...I do think it matters what stage you're in when you get more eyes on it--I don't really share my first drafts too much. Not because I'm ashamed, but because I'm going to move so much text around, do so much chopping and adding, that it's not a good use of a reader's time. I'd rather get it to a place where I feel like it's the best I can make it--so they can thoroughly disabuse me of that notion!Angelica R. Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09448717076699744259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post-28521236557429383752013-01-09T11:23:51.550-06:002013-01-09T11:23:51.550-06:00Lindsay, awesome metaphor! Sorry about your car! I...Lindsay, awesome metaphor! Sorry about your car! I definitely need a mechanic for my manuscripts. There's only so much you can do on your own. By the same token, I get what Angelica's FB buddy was saying, too. Whenever I open my MS up to too many divergent voices at once, especially if it's still early in the revision stage, it can confuse me about the themes and core of my novel. But I wouldn't recommend avoiding critiques. I would just recommend revising on your own as much as you can first, being sure you understand your story better than anyone else. Then you'll be able to brush aside the unhelpful crits and appreciate the gold.Katrina L. Lantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871272394922775923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post-64854594919563374352013-01-09T11:16:12.796-06:002013-01-09T11:16:12.796-06:00I can see how conflicting advice can be an issue, ...I can see how conflicting advice can be an issue, but as writer's we have to learn what to use and what not to use. I wouldn't survive w/out my cps!Eliza Tiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00765731038856226730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6961445666519156260.post-70813060852816955812013-01-09T09:28:32.206-06:002013-01-09T09:28:32.206-06:00I was shocked when someone in our SCBWI fb group a...I was shocked when someone in our SCBWI fb group actually recommended against having any sort of critique on your work. Their argument seemed to be that getting so many other opinions just muddies the waters. Makes the author lose sight of their original vision. If you get a lot of conflicting advice, that's certainly a challenge to sift through it.<br /><br />But I'm a firm believer that there is a point where you will be going round in circles without someone to give you a fresh look at your work. It's still up to you how you implement (or don't) those suggestions from your critique partners. Angelica R. Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09448717076699744259noreply@blogger.com